Home
by ASimplePickle
Summary: Four sisters are divided across cities and states. Everyone is on a different path and has a different story to tell, but somehow it all has something to do with Rose Universe, the oldest and dead-est of the sisters. Did she really kill Petra Diamond, her own aunt? And what's with that house that scares Pearl so much? Human AU. Most chapters are rated G and T, but some are rated M.
1. Barnmates

Diamond Manor was an old, towering estate on the edge of a lake. It was an old home, kept in shape by two hundred years of housekeeping and remodeling. As beautiful and clean as it was, it was never home to Pearl. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw it. White marble floors, Pale gray walls, and all the cleaning supplies she was forced to use to keep them in just that shape. She used to sing a song as she scrubbed the foyer. As her once manicured hands pruned from the suds, she'd remind herself that enduring this was true strength.

"I know that I can be strong in the real way. I want to inspire them, I want to be their rock and when I talk, it lights a fire in them."

They were her sisters, Rose, Sapphire and Amethyst. Sometimes they'd join her, filling the husk of a home with joyful noise.

But now Pearl cleans a beach bungalow, her own home, and her only family is her nephew, Steven. Rose had him in prison, and a social worker deemed her the only fit parent and dropped the baby off at her door.

Fourteen years passed, and Pearl stopped wondering why Rose did what she did to get behind bars, and why she chose Greg of all people to start a family with. Now all she wonders is how she's going to take care of the boy.

"What'cha thinking about, Pearl?" Steven asked, tapping his fingers on the kitchen counter.

Speak of the devil!

He cocked his head. "You kinda stopped in the middle of chopping onions. You're crying too!"

"Oh! Nothing. It's just the onions, they always make me cry."

Steven picked up an un-chopped onion and raised it to his face. "What did you say to Pearl? Meanie!"

That made her laugh. Her nephew was always the comedic relief around the house. "Oh, Steven. They told me my nose is too long."

"But I love your nose! Pointy is in style."

She scraped the knife along her cutting board, pushing a mountain of diced onions into a pot. "Huh. I suppose it is, but what do you know about style?" She gave him a tired laugh and pointed to the clothes his dad gave him.

"Ohhh, roasted! You mean this old frock? Connie likes it," the boy retorted, chuckling back. His aunt wasn't making fun of him, he knew that, and he was willing to laugh at himself too. "At least someone thinks these things look good."

"Connie? Who's that? A girlfriend?"

"Noooo, silly. She's only twelve, that's too young for me. I'm fourteen. But Connie came out of the wall of a crater I used to play in, she lives down there."

"So... she came out of a mountain?"

"Yeah. She had no idea who she was except that her actual name was Cinnibar. Dad says he used to take care of her after he got off parole. Now she kinda wanders, but I see her sitting by her hole sometimes."

Pearl could feel herself pale. "Wh... what? Steven, this doesn't sound like any twelve year old girl. Should I be concerned?" But then she stopped. There were three faces at the screen door, all eyes peering in at the two. "Is that one her, Steven? Cinnibars are brown, right?" She pointed to a woman with caramel skin and blue hair.

"That's racist, I'm Polynesian," the woman joked, waving at the two. "My name's Lapis. Lapis Lazuli? I'm interviewing to rent out your barn."

Color filled Pearl's face again. "Ohh, thank the stars. We thought you were an alien that came out of a- you know what? That's not important."

"Cinnibars are more reddish than brown," came a voice from the kitchen. Steven was behind the stove now, pouring more broth into the soup. "Oh! Pearl, is this stuff for them?"

"Yes, Steven. Thank you for refilling that!" She directed her attention back at the couple at the barn, who smiled back. "Come on in! I made soup if you're hungry."

Lapis' shorter friend Peridot snorted. "Ha. Your kid is so helpful! If only ours made lunch for us," she mused, gesturing to a mutt sitting by her feet. She scratched her head, and cooed, "You might be useless, but you're a pretty dog, yes you are!"

Unfortunately, that's when the dog caught a whiff of soup, and dashed into the kitchen without even bothering to wipe her feet on the mat.

"Pumpkin, no!" Lapis shouted, dashing in to grab the dog's leash. "I'm so sorry! She's so well behaved... unless there's food."

Steven stepped down from his stool and knelt down to pet the dog. "It's no big deal! She's so cute!"

Lapis sighed a breath of relief, thankful these people weren't sticks in the mud and that Pumpkin didn't bother them.

That's when Peridot and Pearl joined them in the kitchen, and Pearl asked, "so how about we get this interview started?"

"Sure," Peridot mused, taking out a notebook and pen. "Where should I sit?"

"Right here," Pearl gestured to the couch, while picking up two bowls of vegetable soup for her guests. She set them down, then proceeded to sit with them. "So," she finally said, "Where are you two from?"

Lapis offered a gentle smile, but Steven could feel the woman's mood drop. It was like she was running from something.

"Peri and I are originally from Jersey, but I felt really trapped in there. Everyone was so hostile. We just needed a change of pace, I suppose." She bit her lip, reaching for her friend's hand.

"I uh... Lapis doesn't like talking about Jersey. It's one of her triggers."

"Oh. I didn't realize… So you're moving in with her to protect her, then? And to help her out with the anxiety?"

Peridot squeezed Lapis' hand. "Sort of. But we're actually moving in together because we're married."

"Aww, cute! When's your anniversary?" Steven asked from the kitchen. He had pumpkin in his lap, the two of them seated on the floor.

The lovebirds chuckled, blushes dusting their cheeks. The blue haired woman was the only one with guts to speak, and she muttered, "we got hitched last night, actually. We were just passing through Empire City and decided it was time to tie the knot. We've been together six years, though."

"Ah! I see. So a lovely dog, a stable relationship... What about jobs? Do you have any of those yet?" Pearl asked.

She was met with silence.

"So... not yet. You're going to need jobs, but I'll give you the first month free of rent while you both look for one."

"That's too kind of you. See, Laz? I told you everyone in my hometown was nice."

"Oh, you're from here?"

"Yeah. We went to school together. I was the kid who hacked the school news in 8th grade and played that compilation of Amethyst burping."

"That was you?! I had no idea you were friends with her. ...That video was an atrocity, though. How did you even get that footage?"

As the two chatted on, Steven held up a carrot for the dog. "Hey Pumpkin, sit!"

The dog did as she was told, and he tossed her a carrot. She jumped, catching it midair.

"That was fun. Okay, now lay down."

Pumpkin immediately laid down, and Steven sat the treat in front of her face. Pumpkin didn't even flinch- she was waiting for him to give the okay.

"Get the treat, Pumpkin!"

And then the second carrot was gone. As he was reaching for another, Peridot noticed his shirt sleeve dangling by the open flame of the stove.

Almost instantly, she reacted. His shirt was on fire, but the shorter woman was there with the house's fire hydrant.

"Stop drop and roll while I pull the pin," she called, fumbling with the thing. Eventually, she got it, and sprayed along Steven's arm. Within seconds, the fire was out.

"STEEEEVENNN! Oh thank the stars you're alright!" Pearl yelled, grabbing hold of her kid's arm and looking it over. "Second degree burns. I have salve for this. Don't worry, I'll fix it."

"Oh come on, don't worry about me. I'm okay."

Pearl turned, staring up at Peridot and Lapis. "You!" She shouted as she stood up on her feet. The air suddenly turned cold.

The taller of the two held it together, despite the way her hands were shaking. Confrontation was never her strong suit. "I'm sorry," she cried, barely aware of the tears rolling down her face. "We'll leave town, we promise. We'll pay for his hospital bills. We'll-"

"I owe you a huge debt for saving him. You can live in the barn."

Lapis let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and began to gasp with sobs. "Oh my stars. It's all okay. We actually did it. We have our home," She said, grinning ear to ear.

The blonde woman chuckled from her place next to Steven. "The way you're so emotional reminds me of my sister. She was hopelessly in love like that once."

It was Steven's turn to chime in. "That doesn't sound like Amethyst to me."

"That's because it isn't. Her name was Sapphire."

"Was…?" Steven asked cautiously. His heart dropped when he didn't get a response. "Oh."


	2. Alone Together

"Okay! So you don't eat. But if you did, let's say you eat Jam and biscuits, right?"

"But I don't eat."

"Hypothetically!"

Explaining food to Connie was hard. On one hand, she wanted to learn about Steven's world. She loved him and thought an eternity by his side would be an eternity well spent, but on the other hand… What even WAS food?

"So I'm supposed to mush this biscuit up with my teeth. And then I swallow and I have to shapeshift human organs to digest them?"

"I forgot you had to shapeshift. Um, scratch that." He crossed food off his list. What about dancing, do you ever do that?"

"NO!" Connie shouted, scooting a few inches away from Steven. "I don't know how I know this, but dancing makes a fusion. And fusion is only for gems who really trust and care for each other. I can't dance!"

After he stood up, Steven moved her palms from her face and held her hand, pulling her up to her feet. "I'm not a gem, and I really trust you and care about you. You don't have to do it, but what's the worst that could happen? Also… I don't really know what fusion is."

A gentle breeze blew through his hair. The sun reflected off his eyes at just the right angle to make it look like there were stars in his pupils. He was quite the charming little person, and so cute. How could this be a bad idea? It's not like humans and gems could fuse.

"I'll do it."

"Awesome! I'll put on some music."


	3. Cinnibar

It had been six hours since Pearl last saw Steven. Six agonizing hours without a text or a call. It was a shame he wasn't glued to his phone like most kids, or else he would've told her where he was by now. Steven was never good about making sure she knew, now that she thought about it. One time, when he was only seven, he spent the night at Peedee's place and poor Pearl drove through a tornado watch looking for him.

"Relax, Pearl," she told herself, lighting a few candles and grabbing a bath bomb. "He's out playing. You can have your me time! Ugh, I'm talking to myself again."

It's been almost a year since she's had this much time to herself, and if she had spent it on something other than laundry, maybe she'd be a little less high strung. Nonetheless, here she was. The bath bomb was mint scented and a light teal with glitter, something so positively Pearl. It beckoned her in, and there she sat for a good thirty seconds before the screen door squeaked open.

"PEEAAARL! Pearl are you busy? Well you know you said you wanted to meet Connie? I brought her here," Steven shouted from the living room.

"That was nice while it lasted," Pearl muttered, getting herself dressed and wringing out her pixie cut. She stepped out into the living room to see a little girl with deep crimson skin, bright cherry hair and eyes sparkling like Dorothy's slippers. "WHAT IS THAT?!" She cried, backing into the wall. "Steven! Steven, come here! I'll protect you!

"Greetings, Ms. Diamond. I'm Steven's friend, I think he calls me Connie?" She reached out for a handshake, standing before a trembling Pearl ever so patiently. "I'm really fond of him. He's my best friend."

"Pearl, don't be rude. Say something!" The boy nudged her and she knew then she had no choice.

Steven made friends everywhere he went and they were all usually good people. Was this even a person, though? But what could the harm be if her own child was seemingly safe around her?

Pearl gingerly shook Cinnibar's hand. "Ah, uh… Nice to meet you too." She paused, took a deep breath for confidence, and asked, "So, what are you? Steven mentioned you were a rock? I hope this isn't offensive, but this is all so new to me."

"Let's sit down, Pearl. This might sound insane," Cinnibar told her, herding the taller woman to the kitchen table.

Pearl resisted, speedwalking to the other side of the room and away from the gem in the kitchen. "I don't think we'll be needing you here anymore. Where are your parents? Call them to come get you."

It was the boy's turn to cut in. "She doesn't have parents. Just hear her out, okay? It's a really cool story!"

Oh, how easily Pearl could be swayed by her little boy. Sometimes, when she looked at him, she saw his naïve and still so all-knowing mother, Rose. She remembered one instance in the backyard pool that reminded her of this very moment with Steven…

 _"Come on, Pearl!" Rose called from the deep end. This was a bad idea and even she knew it. She was only seven, but had the confidence of three eight year old boys put together. Rose lived for danger, and that's why she was telling her four year old sister to jump into the water._

 _Pearl trembled in the grass beside the crystal clear water, shaking her head. "I can't swim," She cried, looking down at her floaties bobbing in the water. They were useless to her if they were all the way down there._

 _"I'll catch you, P. You know I will!"_

 _And then she jumped. Water invaded her senses, starting with the cold rush, the sting of chlorine in her eyes and the muffled sounds. Then came the burning in her lungs. She was sinking, and her sister was nowhere to be found. She wished she could scream, but the fear of dying kept her from doing so. And then, in the midst of a blurry, wet haze, came a pair of hands. Next thing she knew, she was on the grass coughing up water._

Pearl learned a valuable lesson that day: Rose would make mistakes, but she always knew how to fix them.

And now there Steven was, and now he might make the same rookie mistake of putting people in harm's way with this… alien, was it? Wasn't it made on Earth? That wasn't the point. However, just like she trusted Rose to save her, she trusted her son.

She snapped back to reality before taking a deep breath. "Okay. Tell me about the gem things."

Connie grinned. "Thank you! Okay. So I found this old, round pedestal in the ground one day and wondered what it was, only when I stepped on it, I landed on the moon! And I found a base my species used to own I guess, and it had all sorts of information about me and what I am. And I can't harm Steven- most gems have weapons, but I have a shield. All I can do is protect him, ma'am! Do you have any questions?"

Pearl raised her hand like a student, and when prompted to, she asked, "Yes, so… where did you come from again?"

"Well, it's called the Kindergarten in your language, because it's similar to the one you're familiar with. It's where gems are created and given the mental and emotional training they need to become soldiers, builders, blacksmiths and the like."

"Why aren't you one of those things?"

"Well, I emerged only recently, twelve years ago. Nobody was there to teach me who I was supposed to be."

Steven cut in. "Yeah you did! My dad took care of you when he got off parole! He taught you sharing, and kindness, and how to be friends! Isn't that all you need?"

The mood in the room suddenly shifted as Connie clenched her fists. She stayed calm, however, as she said, "I should have a purpose. No offense, Steven, but our dad can't give my life meaning." Then she began to head for the door. "This was a mistake. I'm sorry. I'll leave Steven alone."

Steven chased her out into the rain, but she ran so fast that his stubby legs couldn't keep up. "Connie, come on. We were so close to winning her over," he muttered to the wind. There was nobody around, but suddenly, a hand fell on his shoulder.

Pearl, looking down at the boy with a smile, mentioned, "I like her. Now come on, let's get you out of the rain."


	4. Popcorn

**Just a quick thing- I don't usually write romance between minors. I don't like it, but I feel at least some level of romantic connection between Steven and Connie is necessary to the future of this story, since it takes place over a span of several years. There will be NO sexual interaction between them as minors, period. They're just friends, pondering the idea that they might be soulmates. Also, Connie permanently changes her form every few years so she can age with him, so it's not like they have this strange gem adult/small child dynamic.**

* * *

"Hot cocoa? Check," Steven quipped, with one hand stirring a mug of it.

By his side was Connie, ready to follow up with "popcorn? Check." She shook up the bag, and set it in front of him. "You know I don't eat, right?"

"Yep! It's for me, unless you want to try some?"

It was only seven PM. The sun was beginning to set over the ocean, just outside the window. Pearl and her friends Lapis and Peridot had a perfect view from their spot on the couch.

"Man, is it just me or does it seem like when we get old the sunset seems less boring?" Lapis asked.

Blue hair brushed on to a pale shoulder, tickling a dozing Peridot. She snapped up from her previous position- slumped over on her wife, hands mid-pat on a sleeping pumpkin. She yawned and stretched out her arms, wrapping one around the tall drink of water sitting beside her. "Sorry. I dunno, the view in front of me seems a whole lot better."

Lapis shoved her playfully, causing Pumpkin to wake up and run to the kitchen. "Stahp," she teased, before reeling Peri back in for a kiss.

"Mm! Remind me to use that line more." She kissed Lapis one more time, before opening her eyes. Before her were three children- Steven, Connie and Pumpkin. "Lapis! Stop, the kids!"

They didn't seem to mind. In fact, Steven found it rather adorable. "Aww. I want to love someone as much as Lapis loves Peridot," he mused. When he looked over at Connie, his eyes sparkled as if he were suggesting something.

She giggled, winking and shooting finger guns off in his direction. "Oh, I think you do." But deep in her heart, she knew she wanted that. She wanted to grow with him, be his forever and always. Such a grown up thought for sure couldn't have crossed his mind, but she wondered if he was thinking about her like that too.

"C'mere, nerd!" Steven laughed, pulling her in for a noogie. "I love you!"

From there, they crashed into their perfectly made pillow fort, scattering blankets and pillows across the living room. Raucous laughter filled the air, and it soon died down in to heaving breaths, shallow panting, and then silence.

Pearl popped her head into the room. "I've got the snacks you forgot to bring," She told them, and set the bowl of popcorn and cocoa in front of Steven. "I'll start up the show!"

Connie reached into the popcorn bowl and pulled out a single piece, and began to toy with it in her hand. She held it as she gazed back up at the Webflix loading screen. "What is this show again?"

"Ouran High School Host Club. It's an anime about-"

"Aaaaah! Pearl, no spoilers!"

"What's an anime?"

"Shh, it's starting!"

Silence. Then…

"KISS KISS, FALL IN LOVE!"

Connie swallowed her popcorn as the anime started, and her eyes went wide. Time seemed to freeze, only for a moment as she absorbed the taste, the smell, the texture. When she returned to normal, she grabbed a handful, shoved it in her mouth, and swallowed without chewing. "Steven! I like this!"

He smiled and shoved the whole bowl her way. As she grabbed it, their hands brushed by accident. Connie could feel her form tremble with some feeling that wasn't normal to a gem. She quickly scooted away and began shoveling popcorn into her mouth.

* * *

"That was good! Steven, I loved that so much!" Connie wrapped her arms around Steven, squeezing him tight.

"Ayy, you know what they say. Once you go otaku, you'll never go back." Steven sensed she was about to ask, so he added, "Otakus are fans of anime."

"Oh! How do I become an otaku?" Oh no. Connie was about to pay the price for those words.

The otaku in the room, Peridot, jumped out of her seat. "I can see I'll have to teach you how to be otaku! Listen closely. Here's a little lesson in TV, this is going down in history! If you want to be fan number one, you have to do these things- but they're lots of fun!"

Lapis facepalmed. "Babe-"

"Shut up, I'm meming." Peridot stopped singing, however, and grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen. On it, she wrote the letters U W U. "This! Every time you say something positive, you must say this or the variant OWO. Understand, maggots?"

"Yes, anime drill sergeant sir!"


	5. Pumpkin Patch Kids

**There's mentions of abuse and rape in this chapter, so you can skip this chapter and I'll have a summary waiting for you in the next one!**

* * *

The first time Steven ever saw Grandma Demayo's barn was on a cool spring morning. There was grass and dew on his shoes, pollen in his sinuses and a dream of adopting a puppy in his head. Mark his words, he was going to leave this barn with a puppy, even if it killed him.

"Pearl, you'll let me keep one, right?"

His aunt had no time to listen. "Steven! Get a towel! You have one job, sweetie. To get things. Can you do that?"

The barnhouse was in a tizzy. Lapis paced the floor while Peridot held Pumpkin's paw, and poor Pumpkin laid in her bed whimpering.

"Push, baby. You can do it." Peridot cooed, rubbing the poor dog's head. Pumpkin licked her hand, seemingly appreciating the gesture. "I still can't believe she got herself pregnant. She's a lame dog and she's got more game than me. And how weird is it she had them on our anniversary?"

Lapis smacked her wife playfully. It hurt, but sometimes Lapis didn't know better. She used to be in a relationship full of hitting and shouting and abusive words, and sometimes she did toxic things without realizing it.

"Babe. Going a little hard there," Peridot mumbled, afraid of accidentally making Lapis flinch. She hated seeing Lapis upset.

Unfortunately, the silence on the taller woman's side spoke volumes. She trembled at the implication, thinking about how parts of her and Jasper's relationship still lingered with her.

 _"You know I love you, right?" Jasper purred, the sickly sweetness in her voice masking a horrible truth. She held her girlfriend to the bed, pinning her hands so hard they began to fall asleep._

 _"Yes," came the monotonous reply. The creaking of the bedframe was her only solace in these times. Lapis used to count how many times the bed would bump against the wall so she wouldn't think about Jasper._

 _And then after Lapis pretended to finish, Jasper would always hit her. "How_ dare _you? What, am I just not good enough?" The silence on the other woman's end prompted her to pop her right in the jaw._

 _Lapis laid there. Her resolve crumbled months ago, and now the blows felt like light taps. She didn't care. She never cared until Peridot promised to save her._

 _"Oh! Oh my stars, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hit you. Just... Just talk to me, Lapis."_

Lapis snapped back to reality and tears streamed down her face. "No! No, no no no. I'm going upstairs."

"AROOOOF!"

Peridot lost focus on her wife and turned to see her dog crying in pain. She'd finally done it! Pup number one was on the way. "Yay Pumpkin! You've got this!"

Lapis scoffed. "Have fun," She mumbled, trudging up the stairs and into the bedroom.

"Wait! Babe, I'm coming with you."

Meanwhile, pup number two was being born. Poor Pumpkin could barely catch her breath. Pearl didn't blame her for whining and panting so much, really. Childbirth was an enigma- babies are always too big to fit through the exit, yet somehow it happens. It's beyond the pain threshold of what an animal could possibly survive, too.

Maybe that's how Rose died. The pain. _Come to think of it, I don't actually remember how she died,_ Pearl thought. _Did the coroner ever tell me?_

"Aww! They're so cute, can I pet them?" Steven asked, already petting pumpkin.

"No," Pearl chimed in. "Their mother and I have to clean them first. Either way it won't be as satisfying as petting Pumpkin because they're too young to understand or even see you. They won't appreciate it like their mom will."

"Aww. Okay," Steven said, just a tad bummed. He did take her advice though, and gave her a gentle rub. He nuzzled his nose into her little Corgi snout, and if the lick on his chin was any indication, he cheered her up. "Aww! Y'know Pearl? Sometimes I feel like she can understand us. Or at least she understands patting."

Upstairs, behind a locked door, paced Lapis Lazuli. Tears and snot rolled down her face as the tissue in her hands tried to keep up with it all. "I feel so empty," she blubbered into a recorder, just like her therapist told her to do. "It's barely about Jasper this time. It's about needing Peridot closer so she can just erase what Jasper did. I feel empty without Peridot. I think I know what to do, but it's going to take some reflection and a little more growth for me to get there." She noticed that the tears had stopped when she expressed herself- maybe this was the right course of action.

Peridot knocked on the door, kicking her out of her thoughts. "Baby, are you okay? You're not hurting yourself again, right?"

The taller woman opened the door, and gave her wife a little smile. "No! I'm fine. I wasn't at first, but I found a solution. I just need some time before I try it. Is it okay if I spend some time alone?"

"Lapis? Constructive with her anxiety? Who are you and what have you done with my wife?"

"Oh ha ha. Well… Go have fun with Pumpkin. I'll be here for a couple of hours, okay?"

"Okay. Just come find me when you need me," she said, and shut the door.

Then it was just her, her memories, and a choice to make.

Down on the main level, Pumpkin laid exhausted on her bed. She slept as five newborn pups were being washed and dried, and her soft snoring was the only sound filling the barn until Steven asked, "So what are their names?"

"Ooh! Ooh!" Peridot exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she gave each one a name. "This one's Percy, that's Pierre, the big one is Alien, the one with the spots is Flannel, and-"

"Peri! I want to keep the runt, can I name her?"

Peridot nodded. "Yeah! It's so like you to pick the runt. You really care about the little guy," she mused.

"Her name is Momo! Man, what breed do you think the father was? He and Pumpkin made some really cute kids."

Pearl cut in. "No, nonono. There's no 'making' anything. They come from the-"

"I'm fifteen now, Pearl, the cabbage patch stopped being real a while ago."


	6. When Your Heart Beats Next To Mine

**Here's the summary from the last chapter: Pumpkin has puppies, and Steven and Pearl help Lapis and Pearl deliver them. Peridot accidentally triggers Lapis, and Lapis has some flashbacks about her ex girlfriend Jasper. However, this time Lapis realizes her anxiety is less about Jasper and more about letting Peridot down. So she tries to be constructive with her feelings and spends some time alone.**

 **This chapter also has some sexual references, but all of them are consentual and they're not descriptive.**

* * *

"Take a moment to think of just flexibility, love and trust, Lapis."

 _Inhale. Exhale. That's it, Lapis. There's nothing to be afraid of anymore._

"Jasper was your past. Peridot is your future." Her heart pounded.

 _"Do you have your suitcase packed?" Peridot whispered, feet firmly on the porch. She didn't dare go inside- Lapis' girlfriend had a habit of constantly watching her and could've been at that moment, consumed by the fear she was cheating. It was kind of true, but that wasn't the point._

 _"Hiding under my bed. Still can't believe I have to leave all my stuff behind." Lapis said. "I wish I could get a restraining order, but she'd come see me anyways."_

 _"You know she would. I can't stay much longer. Just put it in your trunk and give me the keys at graduation, and I'll get it before the ceremony starts. Pretend to go to the bathroom at 8:50, ten minutes before it ends. With all the traffic right behind us, she'll never catch up."_

 _Lapis could feel her whole body smile, if that were even possible. How is it that one person could make her so happy, and feel so safe? Her heartbeat picked up, and she could feel everything inside her tugging her towards Peridot like gravity. First came a hug, and while this feeling still coursed through her, she leaned in to kiss her._

 _"Peri?"_

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"I love you."_

As Lapis continued her breathing, something wafted into her room. Melted butter with a hint of cheese invaded her senses, waking her up _._ Lapis' eyes opened, taking her from her meditation. Grilled cheese had always comforted her. Her mother made it when she was feeling blue, and Peridot made it for her rather often. They tasted pretty damn good, but the fact someone would spend their time on something for her is what made them so comforting. The fact that Peridot constantly did things like this, just to make her happy, made her heart skip a beat. After eight years, she still got flustered just thinking of her. Peridot really was the one.

She smiled and wandered out of their shared room, down the stairs and into the kitchen. Peri was there, laboring over a hot stove. In the corner, Pumpkin was busy feeding the pups, and hadn't noticed them at all. Good. Her heart thumped with each step, and her legs started to feel like jell-o as she contemplated her next move. Was she really going to do this, after all the pain her ex put her through? She had her eyes on Peridot for a second, and the next thing she knew, she was kissing her.

"Lapis…" Peridot whined, dropping the spatula just to wrap her arms around her. "Lapis… Lapis, the sandwich!"

She let go of Peridot and turned off the stove. "Forget it. I'm not hungry." She smashed her lips into her again, and as she felt her wife greedily accept the kiss and return it with more passion, she lifted her up to sit on the counter. Lips traveled down Peridot's sunburnt neck, then back up to her cheeks.

"What's gotten into you?" Peridot asked when they broke for air, her chest heaving with heavy breaths.

"You, hopefully."

Peridot screeched. "L-lets talk about this! Are you sure? I thought you said you were never going to try this!" She let out a sigh of relief when Lapis let go of her.

Lapis sighed. "Good idea." She bit her lip, looking away to think it over one final time. "Yeah. I just need you closer somehow, I need to close that chapter of my life. And don't think seeing you in the shower hasn't tortured me since we moved in together. This was a long time coming, I think."

" I had to make sure. You know how I feel about this," she trailed off, pressing her lips to Lapis' again. "Mh… Let's go to bed."

* * *

Huh. That was interesting."

Peridot watched the sunlight on her partner's chest rise and fall with heavy breaths. "Good or bad?" She prayed it was the former- this was the first time in their whole eight year relationship that Lapis has ever opened up to her like that, and she wasn't sure she could live with herself if she didn't do it right.

"Good, absolutely." Lapis rolled onto her side, scooping up Peri and kissing her gently. "It's nice to do this in a place of love rather than hate." She burrowed her face into her wife's neck and added, "But you knew that."

It was all a blur, a flurry of hands and lips and tongue. Everyone says you remember your first, but Peridot wasn't sure she could remember anything besides the look on her wife's face. That smile rocked her to her very core.

"Not that it matters, but you were great."

The Irish woman looked up from her pillow, eyes adjusting to the low light around her wife. "It matters! I wanted to make you really feel how much I care. Does that sound lame?"

Lapis reached out to pet the mess of hair on top of Peridot's head. "Not at all. I'm sorry I took so long. It was worth it," She bit her lip, trying to turn up the heat again. "It was worth the wait... but right now, the longest I can last is a few seconds," she purred, and then her hands vanished under the sheets.

"Oh! Lapis, take it easy!" But despite her words, she crashed her lips into Lapis' again and kissed her roughly, trying to return her enthusiasm. "Ah! H-Happy anniversary!"


	7. Moonga's

**Another slightly NSFW chapter with mentions of attempted rape and "send nudes."  
**

* * *

"Thanks for shopping at Moonga's Groceries, have a… day." Lapis sighed, shooing another customer out the door.

She whipped out her phone and started texting Peridot as soon as the guest left. The best thing about this dying, crummy store in a quiet town is that some days, Lapis could get away with murder because nobody came to shop. Minimum wage was the only drawback to this slice of slacker's heaven, though. She didn't make nearly as much as her tech monkey of a wife.

Over at Ocean Industries on the border of Delmarva and Keystone, a programmer's phone began to buzz. Her heart fluttered as she opened the messages, and skipped a beat at Lapis' eloquent, long love letter. It spoke volumes, it was clever and witty, and:

"Send nudes, Dottie."

Such beautiful poetry.

"Dork. Alright, I'll indulge you this time, but if you eat your dessert before dinner…"

"Fine! I'll wait until you get home, but I won't take it easy on you."

Peridot smiled. Those sweet conversations warmed her heart and brightened every single day. Ever since this new thing, their relationship was on a high note. It felt like a barrier had been lifted that night. Lapis let her in on everything she was feeling these days, and she stopped trying to face her anxiety alone. This really was a new chapter for them, specifically for her.

It's a shame the next customer at Moonga's had the potential to ruin all of that.

In walked a tall, dark and handsome woman with biceps the size of Lapis' head. Her eyes sparkled. Her hair was silky and flowing down her shoulders. Her skin, marred by vitiligo, was still clear and beautiful just like the rest of her. Her most prominent feature though, was just how big she was. Very few people suffered from Gigantism like she did, which made it so much easier for Lapis to recognize her.

For a split second, Lapis felt like she could fall apart. Jasper? Here? In her store? _Oh stars, please don't see me._ She ducked under the register and hid. "God, I know I don't do this often, but I need you to save me. I won't ask for anything else ever, I promise! Uh, how do I end this?"

A voice above her muttered "Amen?"

Lapis looked up and screamed. "No! Get- get out of here!" She leapt up, stumbled out from her cubicle, and ran for the break room. Jasper was right behind her, hot on her trail. She was almost out of there, but a hand grabbed her tiny arm and yanked her back.

"Come on, Laz. I didn't even know you were here! I came back to see Pearl," She said, unintentionally yanking her around. "But it's good to see you! I want to talk, I want to work this out! I know I hurt you, but we're still a couple, we can still try to fix this."

"Put me down!" Once on the ground, Lapis sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Seeing as she wasn't in danger for the moment, she faced her fears head on. "What we had wasn't healthy. I never want to feel that way again."

"But I'll be better this time! I've changed, you've changed me!"

That desperate, pathetic look on her face made Lapis feel a little worse. To be fair, they never properly ended things. Maybe that's why Jasper was so convinced they could fix it.

"I hurt you too."

 _Jasper socked Lapis square in the jaw. "Come on. Just say yes. You know you can't keep saying no forever."_

 _Lapis clenched her fists. Tears streamed down her face, dripping onto her ripped clothes and bare skin. "You've been doing this for three fucking months. Hitting me, then begging me to fuck you, hitting me again. Don't you think this is enough?" She thought about running away, back home to her mother. Would she even understand, though? She was always so absent from her life and barely noticed she'd had a sleepover with her girlfriend nearly every night for a month. She'd barely do anything to save her from this situation. Lapis had to solve this one herself. "I don't want to Jazzy... I love you-"_

 _Smack! That left eye of hers was going to be purple tomorrow morning. "You must be getting it somewhere else then. What about that Peridot kid? You cheating on me with her?"_

 _Lapis cried harder. "We're just friends, I've never... I've never done this before, I don't want to anymore! B-but fine. If I have to, wait until after prom. I'll let you do it then."_

 _"Fine, miserable fuck. You're so lucky I'm still dating you. I should've dumped you the minute you said no. You owe me."_

 _Lapis should've cried harder. Her fists trembled again, her chest heaved with heavy breaths and her whole body burned with rage. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to be hit anymore. She almost laid back in submission and let her have it._

 _But instead, she hit her back._

"I took everything out on you too. You deserved better, and so did I."

Jasper opened her mouth to speak, but then it fell closed. She had no idea what to say, what to do. She knew Lapis was right, but couldn't admit it. "Well… damn, okay."

Right when things couldn't get any worse, Lapis' phone pinged. Jasper had a habit of constantly checking her phone, so she reached over the counter and opened the messages. Low and behold, Peridot. Jasper stood there, mouth agape scrolling through the pictures. "Oh. Ohoho. This is what you chose over me? She's such a nerd! And so short! Like a little leprechaun!"

"Jasper!" She grabbed her phone back, sulking back to her register where she was supposed to be.

"Oh my stars. Ha! Sorry, it's just- WAIT. Were you ever cheating on me? With her?"

Lapis shook her head. Jasper sighed in relief. "Well… Alright. I'll get going. But I just have one question."

"Yeah?"

"How'd you end up here?"


	8. Getaway Car, Part 1

**Mentions of dubcon and nudity, but again, nothing graphic.**

"How'd you end up like that?"

Lapis Lazuli had never been more terrified in her entire life. Jasper had to have been chasing her. There was a car right behind her Uber, after all. And oh, the way that driver stared at her, that made it even worse. She must have looked deranged. Big, dark hickeys smattered her shoulders, makeup had been smeared across her face, and to make matters worse she was naked and wrapped in a hotel bedsheet.

"Prom, man. I'm guessing you got smashed at the afterparty and your friends pranked you?"

Lapis let out a cry, fresh tears running down her face. It didn't take very long for the driver to understand.

"Here. Take this, kid." When he stopped at a shoulder, he wrestled his way out of his coat and handed it to her.

"Thank you."

"Get some sleep on the way, okay? We'll call the police when we get to the dropoff point."

Lapis' stomach lurched. She felt like she could vomit. "No. She's my girlfriend. I consented anyways, there's no reason to do something so rash."

"Uh huh. So do you love this girl?"

The senior's silence spoke volumes to the stranger, and he nodded to himself. "So not really. I don't think you really consented, but I guess it isn't my business, is it? And I know you're not going home to mom and pop like that, so who'm I dropping you off with? The person who really loves you?"

"This isn't some conspiracy theory," she stated. "It's my pathetic life."

"Ronaldo's the name, conspiracy's the game," the man said proudly. "And your name is Lapis, right? Lapis, if you love somebody else, be with them. A relationship full of hate isn't worth saving, okay? This is the stop. Be safe."

And just like that, he left her in the front yard, stumbling through the garden on shaky legs. It still hurt to move.

The porch lights flickered on. "Oh my stars! Oh my stars, Lapis!" Out the door came a frantic Peridot in boxers and a tank, her makeup from prom still left on her face. She still looked so beautiful- but it wasn't like anyone could notice that with Lapis Lazuli in a stolen bedsheet stumbling through the yard. She ran to her friend and scooped her up, barely managing to carry her bridal style through the door. Then she fell. "Oof! Oh stars I'm so sorry, I'm sorry!" She landed square on her backside with her friend settled in her lap.

Lapis was sobbing all over again. "This is how I imagined it happening." She wiped her tears, burying her face in Peridot's neck. "I was supposed to get carried through the door, and we were supposed to fall and we'd laugh, and we'd never make it to the bed because we were so wrapped up in each other already."

"I can guess how it actually happened."

Lazuli curled into a ball. "Yeah, not so great. Look, I'm sorry I came here. it's just that... I trust you more than I trust my mom, more than I trust anyone else."

Peridot could feel her chest physically ache. Lapis was trapped in a life where trusting people just wasn't an option. "C'mere. Let's get you in the shower and then to bed, okay?"

"Peridot?" That look in her eyes had come back, the same one she gave her earlier that same night.

 _Their eyes met in the restaurant. That knowing glance went right over Jasper's head, thank the stars. Peridot bit her lip, giving her friend a wink before turning back to her date, Amethyst. The two had gone as friends, but it made Lapis so jealous. She should be on the techie's arm, chatting with her about how fun prom was going to be._

 _"Maybe after this we can go to the afterparty and watch the sun come up. Eh, Lazuli?"_

 _Damn, that gremlin looked good in a tux. She found herself smiling, more than she should have at just the sight of her friend. "I want to," she groaned. "But… I have something I need to do."_

 _Jasper came up behind them and patted her on the back. "Sure do."_

That look she gave her just moments into dinner, where Peridot's eyes were glassy and full of affection, was the only thing Lapis could ever want. She needed someone to care as much as Peridot so obviously did.

"Peridot? I love you," She finally admitted, closing the gap between them and kissing her.

"You're drunk," Peridot mumbled, lifting her friend up and guiding her towards the bedroom. "We'll get you cleaned up tomorrow." She ignored the kiss, and the the way her heart thumped against her ribcage, all in favor of helping her. It would be wrong to manipulate this situation.

Yet again, they were technically an item.

 _"I'm not sure how much longer I can do this," Lapis confessed through the bathroom stall wall. She tried to hold her tears in, knowing good and well what she had to do just to keep the situation from escalating. She couldn't cry, that'd make things worse. And stars, she wanted to tell Peridot what she really meant. But how would she even begin that statement?_ Hey Peridot, I know we've been planning an "us," but I think I might have to sleep with the person we can't stand. _Yeah, right._

 _Peridot knew of Jasper's abuse, at least. "I don't want you to keep this up. But if you must… You know I'll wait for you forever, right?" And for a moment, she almost thought about letting three words slip past her lips, words that she'd longed to say since the day they bumped in to each other and scattered their books in middle school._

 _"Let's run away together, right now. We can go to Jersey," came a desperate cry. "Please. Please, I can't do it, I-"_

 _The bathroom door swung open. "Lapis, babe? Let's get out of here."_

 _Then she was gone, and Peridot hadn't had the chance to say she loved her._

 _But there was a more pressing issue. Something in the way Jasper spoke to her girlfriend made her stomach lurch._

And now, here they were. She should have known. "We're going to Jersey together," Peridot cooed, doing her best to console Lapis as she whimpered with each step. She didn't blame her, Jasper's hands were massive. "We're going to live happily ever after, away from her."

"Gah! I never- never wanna do th-this again," Lapis grunted, slowly making her way up the stairs, grunting with each step. "It's n-not worth it." She finished her ascent and collapsed on Peridot's bed, something she was familiar with through years of sleepovers. It felt like home, and smelled of grilled cheese and air freshener, just like always.

"You don't have to, Lazzy. I'll never be like her, I promise. If that's your choice, I'll respect that." She came up behind her and wrapped Lapis in the covers, and then in her arms. She almost said she loved her too; however, all hope was lost- Lapis was asleep.

* * *

"Do you have your suitcase packed?" Peridot whispered, feet firmly on the porch. She didn't dare go inside- Lapis' girlfriend had a habit of constantly watching her and could've been at that moment, consumed by the fear she was cheating. It was kind of true, but that wasn't the point.

"Hiding under my bed. Still can't believe I have to leave all my stuff behind." Lapis said. "I wish I could get a restraining order, but she'd come see me anyways."

"You know she would. I can't stay much longer. Just put it in your trunk and give me the keys at graduation, and I'll get it before the ceremony starts. Pretend to go to the bathroom at 8:50, ten minutes before it ends. With all the traffic right behind us, she'll never catch up."

Lapis could feel her whole body smile, if that were even possible. How is it that one person could make her so happy, and feel so safe? Her heartbeat picked up, and she could feel everything inside her tugging her towards Peridot like gravity. First came a hug, and while this feeling still coursed through her, she leaned in to kiss her.

"Peri?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you more, Lazzy."

Just like that, Peridot left, taking the last of the daylight with her. The sun set as she drove off in her little green beetle, and then Lapis was left to really process this. Was this really worth it? Relationships almost never last right out of high school; there were too many variables and what-ifs to consider. What if Peridot found somebody better? To her, that wasn't an if, but a _when._ And then what, was Peridot just going to leave her stranded in Jersey to live her happy ending by herself? These thoughts swarmed around her mind, fogging up the reality of the situation. The reality was that they had love, and they were going to enjoy it as long as they could.

* * *

"Lapis Lazuli."

Pomp and Circumstance. Handshakes and camera flashes. Her drunk mother screaming her name from the bleachers. Everything was too much and it was already 8:45. To make matters worse, there was only five minutes until departure. As she walked, something rather odd stood out: standing at the other end of the stage by the superintendent and her diploma was Jasper. Something was definitely up. As she approached and took her diploma, the girl on the other side slid down on one knee, and opened a box. This couldn't be happening. The world seemed to slow down, and the cheers of her classmates and hissing from the homophobes seemed muffled as blood began to rush in her ears.

It was only 8:46, but she couldn't take it any longer.

"No! No I won't marry you! How could I after you beat me?" Lapis cried, tossing her Malachite engagement ring to the floor. She told her, "Go find someone else to bully, we're done."

And then she ran. Through the dimly lit halls were photographs of her old life, one she spent with people she hated- all except for the woman waiting for her outside. She tossed the symbols of the hell she endured- her cap and gown- on the floor, revealing a sparkling blue cocktail dress and a new Lapis. This was her life now, and she was going to live it- that is, if her ex didn't catch up and kill her.

Jasper was close behind, tears streaming down her face. "How could you do this to me? Lapis, please. I'll change! I need you, I'm stronger with you!" She was gaining on Lapis, and for a moment, she almost had her.

Lapis ducked out of arm's reach and fell into the parking lot, in front of her car. Peridot was in the driver's seat, watching in horror. Lapis had it covered, however. "I'm done being everyone's prisoner!" And she reached up, whopping Jasper in the face so hard that she had a few seconds to escape. She fumbled with the door, but made it in, and the two of them took off into the night.

Old Jasper didn't stand a chance against a getaway car and true love, now did she?


End file.
